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1: FEBS Lett. 2005 Jul 18;579(18):3881-4.Click here to read Links

Molecular interaction of delta-conotoxins with voltage-gated sodium channels.

Leipold E, Hansel A, Olivera BM, Terlau H, Heinemann SH.

Institute of Molecular Cell Biology, Research Unit Molecular and Cellular Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Drackendorfer Strasse 1, D-07747 Jena, Germany.

Various neurotoxic peptides modulate voltage-gated sodium (Na(V)) channels and thereby affect cellular excitability. Delta-conotoxins from predatory cone snails slow down inactivation of Na(V) channels, but their interaction site and mechanism of channel modulation are unknown. Here, we show that delta-conotoxin SVIE from Conus striatus interacts with a conserved hydrophobic triad (YFV) in the domain-4 voltage sensor of Na(V) channels. This site overlaps with that of the scorpion alpha-toxin Lqh-2, but not with the alpha-like toxin Lqh-3 site. Delta-SVIE functionally competes with Lqh-2, but exhibits strong cooperativity with Lqh-3, presumably by synergistically trapping the voltage sensor in its "on" position.

PMID: 15990094 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]